“Figures, poor people. They grab money as soon as they see it! Hey, tell me, if I gave you money to die, would you obediently go and die?”
“But Harper isn’t like you! She’s with me purely because she loves me, not for money. So whatever I say, she’ll believe it!”
I looked up, meeting Caleb’s gaze through the headpiece. I laughed self–deprecatingly.
“You’re right!”
I am one of those poor people you talk about! For money, I too can sell my dignity!
Caleb’s pupils constricted the moment he heard my voice. He instinctively reached to pull off my headpiece.
But I didn’t dodge. I even felt a strange anticipation of his reaction when he saw me underneath.
Victoria pressed his hand down, mockingly saying, “Caleb, even if Harper upset you, you shouldn’t get angry at a mascot, right?”
Caleb flung Victoria’s hand away in disgust and glared at me. “Now get lost.”
Caleb didn’t come home that night.
It wasn’t until early the next morning that I received a text from him.
“Harper, my illness relapsed yesterday, and I passed out and was sent to the hospital. I just woke up.”
“How’s Mom’s condition? And have you gathered enough money for me?”
This wasn’t the first time Caleb had used this excuse to explain his staying out all night.
I expressionlessly packed all my belongings and shipped them away, then headed to the address Caleb’s assistant had given me.
As soon as I entered the upscale restaurant, I spotted Caleb’s familiar back from afar.
In my pocket, Chloe’s phone watch was still buzzing. Caleb had been calling it incessantly since last night.
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When the watch finally fell silent again, I, who had just walked behind them, heard Victoria say,
“Looks like Harper isn’t as obedient this time, huh?”
”
Caleb stopped calling Chloe, tossing his phone onto the table, his voice filled with rage.
“My relationship with my wife is none of your damn business!”
“Why can’t I get through to Chloe’s phone?”
As Caleb was about to try calling again, I walked up to his table.
He was so agitated about Chloe that he didn’t even bother to look up at me.
“I’ve booked out this entire place today. Get out!”
I clenched my fists so tightly my knuckles turned white. It wasn’t until Victoria saw me and let out a soft gasp.
3:23 PM
<
“Oh! Harper, why are you here? Are you curious why Caleb is here?!”
Caleb’s head shot up, his expression utterly shocked.
“Harper… how could it be you?!”
I watched Caleb frantically try to hide the expensive watch on his wrist further up his sleeve.
He feebly tried to explain, “I, why am I here? Oh, right! I came to pay the money… just now…”
I shifted my gaze to his luxurious attire. His voice trailed off, perhaps even he knew how utterly nonsensical his explanation was.
Soon, Caleb noticed the suitcase in my hand, and his face lit up with surprise.
“Harper! You got the money for me?”
“You should go home and stay with Chloe. Isn’t today Chloe’s birthday? I’ll be back as soon as I sort this out! And how’s Mom’s illness? Is she doing better?”
Caleb looked worried, as if afraid I’d discover something if I stayed, and he urged me to leave.
He spoke while taking the suitcase from my hand.
But as he took the bag, he quickly noticed its weight, or lack thereof. His expression abruptly changed, and he swiftly unzipped the
suitcase.
Seeing it empty, he immediately glared at me with ill intent.
At the same time, Victoria burst out laughing.
“Looks like Harper didn’t gather the money after all! No, even worse! She didn’t even *try* to get it!”
Victoria’s laughter must have deeply embarrassed Caleb. He exploded in a fit of rage.
“Harper! I’m asking you! Where’s the money? Even for Mom’s illness, you shouldn’t have come empty–handed!”
“Do you know? The victims‘ family will be here any minute. If I don’t pay, that desperate family will cling to us like leeches for the
rest of our lives!”
He scoffed as he spoke.
“It’s truly ridiculous. For money, she’s willing to sacrifice her own mother and daughter’s lives?”
My chest heaved. I stared at him, my eyes blazing.
“Do you have to be so utterly disgusting with your words?!”
“Harper! These poor people are all the same! Born into poverty, destined to be nothing more than beggars. They should just stop reproducing!”
A hint of sarcasm flashed in Caleb’s eyes. He looked down on the ‘poor people‘ he spoke of with an air of arrogant superiority.
“Never mind! I don’t want to burden you with negative emotions. I’ll let Victoria cover it for me. You just go home and take care of Mom and Chloe! To spare you the disgust when the victims‘ family arrives!”
“Disgust me?”
“Otherwise? I’ve seen so many poor beggars kneeling… kneeling before others, begging. It’s absolutely revolting!”
<
My stomach churned. I didn’t want to argue with Caleb anymore.
Every word I spoke to him felt utterly sickening.
“Enough, Caleb. Let’s end this now!”
“Let’s get a divorce!”
In an instant, Caleb’s face grew even uglier. “Harper, what on earth are you saying?”
But I didn’t answer Caleb, because my phone rang.
Under his hesitant gaze, I answered the call.
“Yes, I’m here.”
As my words fell, his assistant rushed in.
She gave me a dismissive glance, then respectfully approached the flustered Caleb.
“Mr. Shen, the victims‘ family has arrived.”
Caleb froze for a moment, instinctively frowning. “Besides me, here…”
His voice abruptly cut off. As if realizing something, he pointed at me and said,
“Are you saying… she’s the victims‘ family?”
As Ms. Davies nodded, Caleb’s eyes instantly turned red. He grabbed my shoulders, his voice trembling.
“Harper, tell… tell me, where are Mom and Chloe?
